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Causes for concern for the Chicago Bulls heading to the season's final stretch
The Chicago Bulls are tethered to this path of mediocrity. And unless they bring someone in from the buyout market, their roster will be the one they take into the last 27 games of the regular season.
While the Bulls have had some reasons for hope (the play of their young studs, for one), there are also some concerns that should be addressed before the team hits the final stretch of the season.
Patrick Williams’ availability
More than two weeks have passed since Bulls forward Patrick Williams was diagnosed with acute bone edema. The initial timeline was to have the Florida State standout go through two weeks of active rest before getting re-evaluated. However, Bulls coach Billy Donovan recently revealed that Williams will try running and cutting during the All-Star break and then go from there.
This essentially assures that the 6-foot-7 forward will not be ready for action when the Bulls return to action on Thursday against the Boston Celtics.
Unlike Coby White, who has taken off in his fifth season in the NBA, Williams remains a source of hope and frustration for the Bulls faithful. He’s averaging 10.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, showcasing his all-around skills in one game and disappearing in the next.
Sluggish offense
The Bulls have found a formula that works for them this season: quick ball movement and outside shooting. However, as great as Chicago has looked in some games, the numbers show a different story.
“For all the offseason talk about making quicker decisions and less isolation play and changing the shot profile, the Bulls rank 30th in PACE, first in midrange shots, and 22nd in 3-point attempts per game,” Bulls insider K.C. Johnson wrote.
“They don’t shoot a lot of 3-pointers. They don’t get to the free-throw line a lot, ranking 23rd in attempts. They have improved their offensive rebounding but are in the bottom half in second-chance points. To make noise down the stretch, this end needs to improve.”
